


Beauty and the Beast

by BrokenApril, CagliostrosDisciple (BrokenApril)



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Beauty and the Beast Elements, Elemental Magic, M/M, title may change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23521837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenApril/pseuds/BrokenApril, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenApril/pseuds/CagliostrosDisciple
Summary: Percival is sent to investigate strange animal deaths only to find a abandoned manor overflowing with magic and an old friend. However, his friend has changed. Will Percival be able to save him?
Relationships: Percival/Siegfried (Granblue Fantasy)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

The road is paved with snow. Even on horseback the ride is slow, as the snow comes up to the horses knees. Percival adjusts the scarf that covers all but his eyes from the wind, gathering warmth into each breath to sooth chilled skin. Beneath him the horse grumbles, but continues onward. After half an hour the village is no longer in sight and neither is anything else. Only snow covered trees for miles around. 

A glance at the sun assures him night fall is still hours off. As he'd left the village, several men had said the same thing. Don't be out after dark. They knew full well why he was here. 

A strong magic permeated the air around him, lending a heaviness to the air. As the horse trudged on he let his mind recall the purpose of his trip to the village. A pile of flesh and bones, torn to shreds, but not eaten, the only blood left that splattered onto the snow. A whiff of magic had come with the corpse, a foul magic, that left a bad taste in his mouth. 

The magic hanging in the air holds a similar nature, though less overbearing. The closer they come to the manor, the stronger it gets and the more his horse voices it's unease. Only his gentle words and the warmth spreading from his palms into her neck keep her going. 

The ride continues in silence until finally, in the distance he can make out the manor. Like the forest around it, the ancient building is covered in snow, the black of the wood a stark contrast to the pure white. The front entrance is barely visible along with over a dozen windows. Two circular towers can be made out to the rear of the house, their gray brick an almost seamless match to the graying sky. 

Just inside the gate the horse comes to a halt, lifting it's feet and stepping to and fro in it's anxiousness. With a soft sigh, Percival let's himself slip from the saddle, removing his pack and securing it over his shoulders. He knew this moment would come. Bringing his hands up to cup the young mare's face he gathers warmth into his palms, letting that warmth soak into her skin. As though in thanks she presses her nose to his cheek and he smiles softly as she turns, soon lost beyond the trees. 

Slowly Percival pushes his way through the snow, breathing heavy as he steps up to the entrance. It takes only the slightest pressure for the door to budge, allowing him inside. 

The lack of wind comes as a welcome relief and Percival takes the time to run his hands over his face, urging warmth into the chilled skin. 

The entrance is dark, except for what little light trickles in from the door above the entrance. He cups his hands together, bringing them to his lips and blowing gently into them. A soft light grows in his hands and with a nudge makes its way upwards. 

It rises for some time before finally perching itself on one arm of a long forgotten chandelier, as though finding it's way home. 

The room is still dark, but Percival can make out enough. Stairs rise to the back on both right and left. To either side of him are closed doors. Stepping further into the house, he finds the hall going off to either side as well. 

Going back to the door on the right Percival pushes it open to find a large closet. It is empty now, bare but for dust and a single bug in the corner. Next he checks the other door, finding a washroom in much the same state as the closet, though the mirror has cracked scattering shards of glass across the floor. 

Taking the left hall he finds himself in the library. Massive oak shelves tower above him, all the way to the ceiling. Each shelf filled with books. Making his way farther in he finds a table at the center of the room and two large chairs by the single window. As expected dust covers every surface. The dust stirs as he walks, so he presses a hand over his nose. In the faint light from the window he can make out little detail. 

Percival pauses by the window, bringing both hands to his lips in a twin gesture to earlier, breathing a small flame like light to life. This time it floats just above his head, following his gaze.

No doubt he could explore the library for hours, but that is a task best done with daylight. 

The door at the rear of the library leads to a large parlor. Several sitting areas formed by plush chairs and sofas. The corner holds what might once have been a card table. A fireplace decorates the exterior wall. Crossing the room, Percival peers out the window, catching a glimpse of the tower in the corner of his eye. It seemed no door connected it to the inside of the house. Perhaps on the second floor? 

Taking the door to the right of that from the library Percival finds himself in a well lit Rotunda. The exterior walls are mostly glass, giving an excellent view of the snow covered grounds. The room extends into the second floor, where the center of the floor is open, solid ground provided only in a ring along the walls. The room itself is filled with plants, all gone dormant for the winter. 

The rest of the house was much the same. The first floor also held a dining room, kitchen and breakfast room. All fully furnished, even decorated. Dust covered every surface, swirled around his boots with every step. 

Just off the breakfast room he found what was likely the servants stair. Unlike the main stair it was not carpeted, but solid wood. With each step he expected a creak or some other sound, yet no noise came. 

The upper floor contained three bedrooms, two bathrooms, the master suite, and the second floor of the Rotunda. The beds in each room were still furnished, though Percival was unsure how willing he would be to use one. Again he looked for an entrance to the towers, finding no entrance to the west tower, but in an extra bedroom, he finds a door, held within a closet, like an after thought or a purposeful hiding place. When he tries the handle it does not budge. 

Frowning he inspects the lock, it is old sure, and the mechanisms seem to stick. Perhaps with enough force he could open it. But for now he leaves it, choosing another bedroom as his for the night. Something about the locked door unsettles him. 

He chooses the front bedroom, taking neither the master suite nor the rooms by the towers. This bedroom is decorated in deep blue, though time and dust have faded the color.

Setting his pack on the table by the window Percival begins to set up protections. He did not sense any ill will or danger in the house during his tour, but protections were always best in unfamiliar places. Especially ones as old as this, that often held secrets of their own, especially with the magic that hung in the air. 

He places a stone at each of the cardinal directions, accompanied by mild annoyance that they rest neither in the rooms corners nor in the center of each wall, instead leaving various triangles unprotected in the corners. As he places each stone, an ink rune is placed on each, runes of protection and strength. 

Thanks to the placement of this diamond, parts of the bed are excluded, so he sets about protecting it as well. Drawing out runes at each corner of the bed. During this preparation Percival tests the bed, resting a bit of his weight against it. Surprisingly the bed does not protest, though more dust worms it's way into his lungs. 

Finally he heads over to the fire place, pulling a few logs from his pack. They had been quite troublesome to pack, taking up an annoying amount of space. Yet he was glad he'd brought them. Placing both in the fireplace he conjured a small flame into his palms. As he held the flame to the wood, he reached out with his mind calling for any nearby fire elemental, though only for the weaker ones. As the logs began to burn, distinct blobs appeared in the fire, settling into the shape of a salamander, eyes a bright blue amongst the orange. 

Percival smiled at the creatures, three of them and offered his hand. One pressed it's nose briefly to his finger before returning to it's kin, far more interested in food than a mortal. 

Percival left the other logs near the fireplace well aware that once the fire had grown the salamanders could claim them as they wished. Turning back to the bed he frowned, unsure if a chair might be a better choice. He could pull it up close to the fire. 

He knew from past experience he didn't sleep well in chairs, perhaps if he covered the bed with the blanket he'd brought it would protect him the dust. 

That question would have to wait as a loud bang came from downstairs. Percival checked his sword before stepping out into the hall and making his way for the Rotunda. In the moonlight he could easily make out the dormant plants below and just inside the door a pool of blood. Footprints led from the pool to a cluster of thorny bushes, and behind that glowing red eyes. 

Those eyes met his own and the figure stepped out into the light. Onyx scales glistened on the figure's neck and jaw, making their way onto the face, a face Percival found surprisingly familiar. 

"Leave." The words came as a rumbling growl and the man turned back into the darkness. Percival leaned over the railing, but could see nothing. 

Heart pounding in his chest he returned to his room, taking comfort in the small chirps of welcome from the fireplace. 

Was this the source of the magic?

Running a hand over his face, Percival decided the chair would do for tonight. He doubted he would sleep well anyway. 

A sigh escapes his lips as he settlesd into the chair, eyes fluttering shut with surprising tiredness. 

Why did you want me to leave, Siegfried?


	2. Chapter 2

Morning comes with an assortment of aches and pains. The solid wood chair has done Percival no kindness. Several moments pass before he can pull himself to his feet, limbs heavy with exhaustion. His mind, however, is rested enough. 

The salamanders chirp a greeting, some still curled up fast asleep, others nibbling on what little wood remains. Percival grabs another log from his bag, a smile tugging at his lips as the creatures rise on their back legs, eager for the gift. 

Percival wastes little time getting ready. Though tempted to stay in the same shirt, he does change that at least. In the bathroom he splashes some water on his face, before running his hands through his hair. The mirror does him no kindness either, clearly reflecting the bags under his eyes. 

The house is quiet as he makes his way through it, checking each room for signs of Siegfried. The master bedroom is empty, just as he left it the day before, so are the other bedrooms and the rest of the second floor. From the second floor of the Rotunda he can make out blood smeared on the stone floor, though most of it has been cleaned up. As expected the kitchen, dining room, and breakfast room are empty. 

Finally after searching the rest of the house Percival steps into the library, prepared to find it just as he'd found the everything else. Instead he finds a man reclining in the window seat, one knee pulled to his chest, while his other leg dangles to the floor. The man turns and Percival half expects to see the same face he saw the night before, glowing red eyes, blood smeared lips, and onyx scales, but he finds smooth skin instead and the same brown eyes he remembers. 

"You should leave." 

Now that he expected. 

"You know full well that I won't." 

Siegfried snorts and turns back to the window. "You never did give up easily." There is no annoyance in his tone, only amusement, the amusement of a man who shares that very same nature. 

Percival comes into the room, taking a seat behind and to the right of the other man. "What makes you so keen on my leaving?" 

"Surely you sense the danger here?" 

Danger? Percival felt no specific danger. The only thing he might have considered a hint at danger was the amount of magic in the air, the house was full of it. "I don't." 

"You saw what I was last night." There is no disgust, no hope for pity, only simple resignation. 

Percival hummed in agreement. "I did, but I do not know what you were." 

Siegfried turns back, looking carefully over his friends face. "What brings you here?" 

"Orders from the king to find the source of the magic here and learn about what's going on in the forest." 

"Then you've done your job. You can go." 

Percival frowned, watching his friend carefully. "You mean you? I don't sense that much magic upon you." 

"Only because I've put up shields." As he spoke the shields came subtly into view, giving him a shifting, almost sparkling outline. As Percival watched, a section of the shield began to fade and as it did a heaviness weighed on him. That pressure built, until it was almost suffocating. It was no ordinary magic either, but a darker magic, one that turned the stomach. Just as quickly as the feeling came it was gone, as the shield pieced itself back together. 

Percival took several minutes to gather himself. The magic had such an affect on him in a matter of moments, what could it possibly be doing to Siegfried? "What happened?" 

"The manor is cursed, or more accurately it has cursed me." Siegfried's eyes carefully scan the redhead's face, concern evident in his gaze. "An ancestor of mine was said to have wronged a woman and in return she cast a spell that would curse any of his blood." 

"You knew this and still came here?" 

Siegfried shrugged. "It was a tale told to us as children, most didn't believe it." 

Percival knew better than to think the man before him would have written off something as a mere story for children. They had both seen too much to take such things for granted. No, certainly Siegfried had come here despite the curse, whether to protect his kin or out of curiosity he did not know. "Do you know of a cure?" 

Siegfried's response is to shrug, as he turns back to the window. "None I know." 

Frowning Percival surveys the shelves around him. "Perhaps there is something written here? Have you tried asking the elementals?" 

Siegfried shakes his head. "They no longer answer me."

Those words brought with them their own wave of nausea. There was nothing worse to a mage than their own elementals no longer answering them. To take away something so central to their life wasn't something Percival wanted to consider. To have that on top of this curse, was exceptionally cruel. 

"I can call them for you. Perhaps they'll know something." 

"Perhaps." There was no confidence in his voice. With that Siegfried stood, making his way to the door. "For now I'll get you something to eat." 

Percival waited until Siegfried had been gone a few moments before calling up one of the salamanders. It chirped eagerly, pressing itself close to his palms. "I need you to listen carefully now. I have a very important question." The little firey creature ceased it's wiggling, vibrant blue eyes focused on his face. 

Carefully Percival detailed his query as though speaking to a child. Salamanders were not well versed in human language. Once he finished the creature paused for a moment, rolled onto it's back in something akin to a dog tilting it's head to the side. 

After a few moments it righted itself, shaking it's head as best it could. Sighing Percival thanked the creature who vanished just as the library door opened. 

Siegfried entered with a large tray. He smiled wryly upon seeing Percival's face. "I see you weren't pleased with their answer." 

"I'll look through the books here. Surely there's something."

"And if you don't find anything?" 

Percival ignored the question, it was something they could deal with later. For now food was more important. "What did you bring me to eat?"


	3. Chapter 3

With a full stomach Percival began his exploration of the library. The first step was to determine how the books were arranged. Blessedly everything was arranged by genre. Works of literature were all kept together, categorized into mystery, romance, et cetera. Nonfiction works were sorted as such as well. The library contained a small selection of almost every science known to man, including a few more esoteric works. 

As Percival had expected from a strongly elemental family, over half of the shelves were devoted to various magics, some more obscure than others. Of course the majority of the works focused on the elemental magics. Unfortunately none of the books titles explicitly mentioned curses, which brought more disappointment thatn he liked to admit. Still after a few hours perusing a stack of twenty books loomed over him, ready for his attention. 

Siegfried had left almost immediately after Percival finished his meal. The meal itself had been taken in one sided conversation. Percival had explained his plans to search the library, while Siegfried simply listened. It was obvious the other man held little hope of success. 

So for hours more Percival poured through the tomes he'd selected. Most contained what might be considered common knowledge, while others contained more obscure topics. Some made mention of elementals long thought gone, others of beings that transcended the single elemental nature many saw as natural law. 

By the time darkness fell, Percival had been through all of his initial choices and numerous piles of similar size. He looked up from his readings as the hall door swung open to reveal Siegfried with another tray of food. Percival watched as Siegfried crossed the room, setting the tray down after making room on the table. "Made any progress?"

Percival only shook his head. "I've found mention of very few curses and all of those are from the ill will of an elemental, not a mortal." He pushed the books nearest to him out of the way before pulling the tray towards him. Freshly toasted bread, beef stew, and a bit of cheese greeted him. 

Siegfried smiled subtly, motioning at a pile of obvious discards. "Should I put them away for you?" 

"If you like." Percival gave minor directions as he ate to let the other Knight know where each set of books belonged. "May the previous owner forgive us for ruining their careful work." 

Siegfried only chuckled as he continued shelving all but those yet to be examined. 

Percival watched the other man carefully as he ate, noting the stiffness in the brunette's shoulders and the slight frown on his lips. "Is everything alright?" 

Siegfried did not answer until his arms were empty. "I just wanted to suggest you head to bed. It's getting late." 

Percival shook his head. "It's not that late. Besides I can make a light." 

"I'd still prefer you went to bed." 

Of course Percival wanted to know the reason behind this. He had seen Siegfried's transformation to some degree, but he still had no idea what it fully entailed. As soon as he'd seen the smears of blood on the Rotunda floor, Percival had connected it to the blood on Siegfried's face. "You think you might hurt me?" 

Siegfried shrugged, gathering more books in his arms. "The transformation time varies from night to night and once it's complete I'm overcome with a desperate hunger. The first creature I find becomes my next meal, I'd rather it not be you." 

Percival frowned as he used the last of the bread to sop up the remaining soup. That put a damper on his plans, which had been to continue his search until sleep took him by force. "Would you help me bring these upstairs then?" He nodded to another large pile, which he'd only just started on. 

"If you promise to get some rest." 

Percival made a vague sound in agreement, downing the rest of the wine that had accompanied the meal. "And what of you? Will you rest?" 

"If the beast lets me." In silence the pair gathered up the dozen books remaining, before taking them upstairs. Once they were arranged, Siegfried made for the door, eyeing the protective diamond from the previous night. "Be sure to strengthen it." One last glance at Percival, which contained more sadness than Percival might have to expected, and he was gone. 

Sighing, Percival turned his attention to the fireplace. The salamanders dozed on the remnants of the log he had supplied them with earlier. Just inside the door was a small pile of branches and twigs, no doubt placed by Siegfried, who didn't dare face the firey creatures himself. 

The one he had called earlier chirped expectantly, glowing eyes fixed greedily on the new food. Percival allowed himself a small smile as he passed a branch into it's waiting jaws, a light chuckle following at it's triumphant wiggle before it settled down to eat. He placed enough wood for the night in the fire, then went about strengthening the circle. 

Percival stood at each point of the diamond, gathering magic in his chest, which he then guided down his body to his feet, where it slipped into the rune beneath him. 

The small table in the corner would have been the best place to continue his research, but no doubt Siegfried wanted him to stay within the protections. 

Percival only made it through a few more works before his eyes turned against him, the lids sliding closed between each paragraph. Putting the book aside he surveyed the bed, finally noticing that the sheets are different from the previous night. A cloud of dust doesn't rise up when he moves and upon bringing the pillow to his face he is greeted by a light fresh scent. 

"You're spoiling me again." 

Spoiling his companions had always been a vice of Siegfried's. Be it going out of his way to obtain food they liked, or giving them the warmer cloak, he was always inclined to put others before himself. Just as he was doing now, putting Percival's safety before his own freedom. 

As he drifted off into sleep he tried to recall interactions from their past, but exhaustion prevented any focus, leaving him with brief glimpses and a heavy heart.


	4. Chapter 4

Percival found the next morning that the bed had treated him far more kindly than the chair. The room was quite warm and, as he sat up in bed, he glanced at the fireplace to see that the Salamanders were munching on a fresh supply of wood. Rubbing sleep from his eyes with one hand he called that particular salamander over to him with the other. It scurried over, taking the time to walk rather than transport itself, climbing it's way up the covers and coming to roll in his lap.

Percival grinned, setting his hand over it, a light chuckle escaping him as it nibbled on his finger. He nodded towards the fireplace. "Did Siegfried leave you those?" Gentle chirping. "Did he put them in or did you get them yourself?" A proud little wiggle. The feisty thing had gotten the log itself, too impatient to wait for more food. With another chirp and a roll, the salamander jumped down to the floor, scrambling over to a small sheet of paper in the floor. "A note?" Satisfied that Percival had seen it, the salamander made its way back to it's kin.

Pushing the covers out of the way, Percival climbed out of bed to grab the note on the floor.

_Come to the east tower. Second floor._

There was no signature, but the sender was obvious. He considered leaving immediately, but decided to change clothes instead. He had packed an extra pair of trousers, more comfortable than those built for the cold, and several shirts. If he was going to sit around in the library all day he might as well be comfortable.

Siegfried was waiting for him in the east tower with a decent breakfast. Eggs, ham, and potatoes adorned his plate beside a steaming cup of coffee. Siegfried had a cup of coffee as well, marking the first time Percival had seen him eat or drink anything. Today Siegfried wore the same dark trousers and a loose white shirt open at the top. He nodded as Percival entered, waiting for the other Knight to take a seat before speaking. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks to you." That earned him a smile. Percival made quick work of the food, eager to get back to work, but took his time with the coffee. It was quite good, though he had never been overly fond of the stuff, preferring tea, but it would surely do him good during his search.

Siegfried pushed a small book across the table. "I found a catalog in the master bedroom. It appears to list all the books in the library along with their location and topics."

Percival opened the small leather bound journal to find a hand written list of just that. Each entry listed the title, author, year. Some included purchase price, others who had gifted the book. A few entires were scrawled into the margin. "Hopefully this will prove useful."

Siegfried hummed as he took another sip of his coffee. "I can retrieve any books you take interest in if you'd like."

That came as a slight surprise. It had become quite obvious that Siegfried had little hope that a cure would be found. Perhaps he was simply doing it to please Percival, perhaps simply out of boredom. Still Percival wouldn't turn down the help.

By some stroke of luck, Percival's guess at the libraries arrangement had been rather accurate. A few sections were not organized as expected, perhaps placed that way due to a certain family members interest in the topics. As he'd offered Siegfried would collect the books Percival asked for, leaving him to focus on the research.

The leather guide proved to be quite helpful, allowing Percival to eliminate books with misleading titles. A small collection of cook books, disguised as potion books, had been hidden among the real thing, while a few apparently fictitious works had made their way into the scientific. The latter were older tomes, likely of the sort that had once been considered fact, but had long since been proven otherwise.

Still numerous books appeared to have some hope of containing relavent information, leaving Percival with plenty to puzzle over. By the time Siegfried brought him a simple lunch of ham, cheese, and bread, he had searched through five dozen books already. The library wasn't that large, so perhaps he had simply been skimming too much and had missed something important.

Occasionally, in order to distract himself from his lack of success, Percival would take time to watch Siegfried. He always waited until the other man was perusing the shelves, in order to view him unnoticed. There was a heavy tiredness in the older Knight's features, something Percival had known him to have all his life, yet there was something different in it. Before it had been the tiredness of a man who simply did not sleep well, one who pushed himself too far. Now there was a deeper exhaustion, one that felt, at least in Percival's mind, to be a tiredness of existence itself.

That revelation pained him. He had known Siegfried for years, trained with him and fought with him for nearly as many. To see someone so familiar in such a state was disheartening to say the least. Still if he could find a cure, perhaps Siegfried could rest well.

They searched nearly all day until just before dark. As before Siegfried brought him something to eat, this time a hearty beef and vegetable stew, though Percival was beginning to wonder where it came from. Did Siegfried make it himself?

As usual once he had eaten, Siegfried suggested he go up to bed. One last time Percival looked over the shelves, picking up a few books that no doubt contained nothing. Just as he was about to leave a small black book caught his attention. It perched on a shelf just across from where he had been seated the past few days, though he did not remember it ever being there before. Curious he picked it up, adding it to the stack in Siegfried's arms before he followed the other man upstairs.   
  
This time Siegfried returned shortly to hand over a bundle of wood. Percival smiled as he took the branches, nodding towards the fireplace. "Keep this up and they might just trust you again." This earned him a soft chuckle, but the laughter never reached the others' eyes.

Settling into bed Percival selected the thin black book. He opened it to find a childish handwriting, the first few pages completely illegible. As he continued, the hand writing improved until it become quite clear it was the diary of a child. His immediate thought was to put it down, he had no reason to delve into something so personal as this and yet something compelled him.

The entires told of the days passed by a young girl, no doubt the diary's author. She spoke of her friends and family, of the places they had been, and of the elementals she'd befriended in the surrounding forests. It seemed elementals of all nature's had a fondess for her, though that wasn't uncommon amongst children.

The diary itself contained several years of her life, from the age of six, as far as he could tell, to just after her thirteenth birthday. There the entires stopped, leaving numerous pages blank. As he turned the remaining pages, oddly curious, he came to find one last sentence at the back in handwriting that perfectly matched that of the girls.

_Your answers lie beyond lock and chain. Are you brave enough to seek them?_

Certainly the words couldn't be for him. The dates indicated that the diary was over twenty years old, yet unlike the ink from previous pages which had faded with age, these words appeared fresh. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sleep had been fickle for Percival that night. His mind would race at the thought of finding a cure, of freeing his friend, but also with the fear that this was all a lie, that nothing good would come of it. Sleep came in bursts and by the early morning he had woken at least a dozen times. Now he moved to the end of the bed, dragging the quilt along with him, so that he could watch the fireplace. He let his gaze settle on the fire within, picking out the shapes of individual salamanders. 

After a while, Percival found blue eyes peering back at his own. The salamander it belonged to tilted its head just slightly, and Percival thought that perhaps it was asking him a question. They stayed that way for a time, simply watching each other before the Salamander stood and clambered it's way down the pile of branches to the floor. Once there it shook off its feet before running little circles on the floor. Percival watched curiously, surprised to find the little creature eyed where it had previously been, and seemingly satisfied climbed it's way onto the bed. 

"Did you clean your feet for me?" A wiggle was the only reply he got. Amused, Percival watched the little things make it's way over to him, where it stopped beside his left hand. It nudged the hand briefly before curling up beside it. 

Percival almost grinned as he realized what it wanted. Still he waited for a moment, just to be sure, partially hoping for a little chirp of indignation. When it did not come, he let his hand settle over the salamander, fingers draping over it almost protectively. Satisfied the creatures eyes slipped closed. 

Soon after Percival found sleep taking him once more and morning came without incident. He awoke to find the salamander gone, no doubt up in order to get it's fair share of breakfast. 

Percival found Siegfried the same as usual, though the pants he wore were higher waisted than before, adorned with decorative buttons in a second row to match the functional ones. They ate mostly in silence, lack of rest and those haunting words making it difficult to focus.

Only around lunch time, after skimming rather laboriously through several tomes, did he have the focus to ask Siegfried a question that had been on his mind for some time. "Why is the North Tower locked?" 

For a moment Siegfried only looked at him, lips turning down just slightly. Finally after what felt like an eternity, he spoke. "It's haunted. A young woman died there. No one is allowed to enter." 

Out of respect for the dead or for our own safety? He didn't ask aloud. Part of him knew this was likely a coincidence, that it had nothing to do with the young woman who had written the journal, and yet the rest of him knew, that it was no coincidence at all. 

Regardless, he could not enter the tower now, not with Siegfried awake. So Percival returned his attention to the books, with slightly more focus than before. 

As always Percival brought several books to bed. It would do no good to give Siegfried any reason for suspicion. Though sleep tempted him now he resisted, eyes focused on the books he had brought even as his mind wandered. 

Just after midnight, when he hoped Siegfried would be out hunting, he allowed himself to slip from his room. It was a short trip to the tower entrance, hidden within the extra closet. 

Eyeing the lock he expects to find it as before, unwilling to budge, yet when he tries the handle, it moves, though stiffly and he soon finds himself looking up a spiral staircase. The stairs extend to the first floor as well, but his answers lie above. 

It is slow going in the dark and though Percival wants to make a light, something in the back of his mind says he shouldn't. Perhaps, in an odd way, it is to respect the dead, even now as he walks in her domain. 

At the top of the stairs he finds a ripped piece of paper pinned to the door. Pulling it lose he opens it to find a familiar handwriting, the very sight sending a chill down his spine. The words, however, are friendly enough. 

*Please Knock. I don't wish to startle you.* 

Still, despite the friendly tone part of him wishes to turn back. Despite the numerous monsters Percival had faced over his years as a knight, despite the monsters hidden away in human form, the thought of facing the dead is painful. Perhaps, because it would force him to face the reality of it, perhaps out of fear he might one day face the dead his own hands are responsible for. 

Still, he knows what he must do. His own fears mean nothing when a friend needs him. 

Percival raps lightly on the door. The lock clicks and the door inches open just barely. He waits a moment, stealing himself before pushing the door open. He finds the tower room dark, but for the faint moonlight slipping in from the window. The room itself looks to be a bedroom, a large bed against the wall, a small sitting area beyond it. A book sits at the end of the bed, it's covers free of the dust that coats everything else. 

Percival turns his gaze to the window and for a moment his mind does not believe his eyes. Perched on the window ledge, hair fluttering in the slight breeze from the wind, is a young woman. Her skin, hair, and clothes all take on a translucent quality, yet her hair and gown still appear to be black. Instantly he knows who this is. 

Her eyes, unlike the rest of her body, are as vibrant as they surely were in life. A subtle blue, the moon's glow reflecting off them. As he watches her lips curl into a smile that holds far more warmth than expected, enough to warm him almost. 

"I'm glad you came." She nods towards an open seat, which like the book was dustless. 

Percival moved to take it, finding his legs giving up so that he practically fell into it. 

A soft chuckle echoed beside him, so like the wind chimes his mother favored in the spring. "I won't hurt you. I promise." She watches him carefully for a few moments, taking in every line of his face, the light in his eyes, that same sweet smile never fading. "Your friend is lucky to have such a brave friend." 

Percival nods, finding his voice with effort. "How can I save him?" 

Her eyes close briefly, before she speaks, her voice subtly weaker. "I lived in this manor nearly thirty years ago. A relative of your friend had been charged with my care in my father's absence. I was sickly, but my parents hoped the fresh air would do me good.

"I lived here for three years. But despite my mother's efforts, despite the fresh air, I didn't get much better. So my mother went to search for something to help me.

"I'm sure you could tell from my journal that the illness did not stop me as much as my mother would have liked. She always wanted me to rest, but I was young with so much to do.

"When she was gone I went out even more, exploring the forest, befriending elementals, and as a result tended to over exert myself. As a result I only got worse and in the end my mother returned to find she had lost me. 

"It was my own fault really, but my mother blamed this family. Insisted they should have controlled me, so she placed a curse on this manor, forcing the residents to leave, and in turn leaving your friend, the first of his kin to set foot here in years, to change." 

Percival had listened in silence, a heaviness growing in his heart. The journal he'd read had not given the same impression about her illness, had made it seem like a trivial matter. 

"Ever since that day I've been here. Waiting for whoever returned. Waiting to help them." She smiled again, lifting some of the weight. "I can only show myself to others here and your friend was not inclined to visit. The note I left him went ignored." 

That was something. Had Siegfried not believed it? "What did you tell him?" 

"Unlike you, I didn't ask him to come here. I simply told him how to break the spell, though I'm guessing he didn't believe me." 

"And what is it?" It couldn't be something simple. Not if Siegfried had ignored it. 

"Someone must love him, despite his altered form, despite the risk to themselves." Here she paused for a moment, eyes falling to her lap. "I'm not sure why my mother made it that way. Perhaps that was the way the original spell was designed. Perhaps she was thinking about how the people here didn't love me like she thought they should." 

In theory that sounded simple enough. But who would be able to get that close to him? Percival had never heard of anyone being overly special to Siegfried. "Where do I find them?" 

"You won't have to look far." One last smile, before she faded into the moonlight. 

Percival frowned, staring at his hands in his lap. He wouldn't have to look far? Who could possibly be that close? He hurried back to his room, collapsing on the bed. It was late already, the day's search tiring enough, but this new revelation even heavier on mind. Despite his anxiety, his bodies needs win, and sleep quickly takes him.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day Percival found he had difficulty focusing on his search. By now he'd covered nearly a third of the books that could possibly hold an answer. So far none of them had amounted to anything, but more than that, was there any point in searching now that he'd been given the answer? It wasn't as if the books here could help him solve the current problem, help him find someone to love Siegfried despite his form, despite the risk to themselves. 

The nearest village was miles away and no doubt the inhabitants would have no love for the man responsible for the corpses filling their woods, even if it was beyond his control. Finding someone else Siegfried knew would take time, time Percival was no longer sure they had. 

After only half an hour, Percival found his gaze resting solely on the other Knight. Siegfried was reading, a work of fiction judging from the cover, a few strands of hair falling over his face. He leaned his head on one hand, the book propped open in the other, in his usual seat by the window. Early morning sun danced across the pages of his book, the light shifting with the rustling branches outside. 

"Is something the matter?" 

Siegfried's question pulled Percival from his daze and judging by the look on the knight's face he had been staring for some time. Percival felt a heat rise in his cheeks and he pressed an open palm over his eyes. "Sorry, I'm just a bit tired from staring at these books." That was true enough. He'd been at it for days and his mind was so tired he often went through half a dozen pages before realizing he'd read absolutely none of it. 

Siegfried smiled, pushing the loose hair out of his face. "Would a walk outside help you?"

Percival recalled the day he had arrived, with snow well over his knees. Even in recent days when he briefly looked outside the snow was still there, though some had melted away. It would surely be freezing outside, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle being inside. "Perhaps. If you join me." 

That was how he came to be bundled up much as he had been upon arrival. Siegfried seemed to have bothered with nothing more than a single coat. Perhaps the curse helped him manage the cold?

The manor gardens were beautiful, despite most of the plants being completely barren. The distant forest held the only bit of green, the large pine trees holding their color in sharp contrast to the pale, almost white blue, of the sky. 

Trudging through the snow was less irksome than expected, but Percival found he still had trouble maintaining his balance. This wasn't helped by the continued habit of paying far more attention to the other Knight than where he was going. He slipped on a few occasions, earning him a grin from Siegfried. 

After half an hour just exploring the gardens, the effort was growing tiresome. "Is there anywhere to sit nearby?" 

Siegfried led him to a nearby bench, shoving the snow atop it off for him. With the two of them side by side there was no room for movement, in fact the bench was almost too small. When Siegfried shifted a bit, Percival half expected him to stand, but instead he found an arm around his shoulder pulling him close. "Afraid I'll fall off?" He couldn't help but laugh. 

Siegfried returned the laughter with a low chuckle, squeezing Percival just a touch closer. "Can't have you catching a cold." 

Percival hummed in reply, not bothering to point out that cold weather didn't affect him as deeply as it did some, the fire magic within him warming him through. 

Back in the manor Siegfried served him a dinner of beef stew. Rather surprisingly, after Percival began eating, he returned with a bottle of wine, pouring out a substantial glass for each of them. 

Percival let out a pleased hum as he sipped the wine, taking time to appreciate the flavor. "You always did have a taste for good wine." Siegfried had been one of the few Knight's besides himself to actually appreciate a wine for it's flavor, rather than it's results alone. 

"You have too much faith in me. I doubt the cellar contains anything but the best." 

"But the cellar doesn't know what I like." Percival smiled over the rim of his glass as he recalled occasions on which they'd shared a bottle. Occasions at which Siegfried had casually pointed out a wine he expected Percival to like, and more impressively, informed him of one's he wouldn't. 

Those memories came with others as well. Meals spent outdoors around an open fire. Duals held between them despite Percival's disadvantage in physical strength. Numerous times he'd found himself patching up various wounds the brunette had incurred. 

All of these memories came back until finally, with the last sip of wine, everything fell into place. He almost laughed. It was too obvious, too simple, and yet it might just work. 

Siegfried looked him over carefully, noting the smile that tugged at the redhead's lips as Percival ran a hand through his hair, causing several strands to fall over his forehead. 

After a moment Percival spoke, eyes still focused on the now empty wine glass before him. "The other night I spoke with the ghost of the young woman who died in the North tower." He waited for Siegfried to fuss, to yell at him for doing something he shouldn't, but it never came. "She told me that her mother created this curse, to punish your family for letting her daughter die."

Now that Percival looked up he found that Siegfried didn't seem surprised. "She told me how to break the curse as well." 

Silence followed. After an eternity, Siegfried spoke. "You won't have any luck with what she suggests." 

So he had read the note she'd left him. Frowning Percival posed his question, though the answer need not be spoken. "And why is that?" 

Siegfried's eyes met his, it was clear they both knew the reason. "No one could ever love a monster." 

"Looks aren't that important." 

"You know it's deeper than that. Whatever this is turns me into a monster, thirsty for blood, with no remorse or love. No one would risk themselves for that." 

Percival wanted to say that he wasn't a monster, but knew it wouldn't mean anything, so he settled on something else. "I'd risk myself for you." 

Siegfried starred at him for a moment before he took his face in his hands, letting out a large, frustrated sigh. "There's no need to lie to me." The anger rose as he spoke again, "Besides how could I possibly let you get hurt for me?" 

That was just like Siegfried, putting others before himself, carelessly risking his life and yet accepting nothing of the sort from anyone else. "So you would rather stay like this forever?" 

"No, but I can't risk you. Death would be better." 

That hurt more than anything else. Percival found himself standing and inches from Siegfried in moments. "Never. I didn't come out here to bring back a corpse." 

"Did you come here to get eaten then?" 

"No, but-." A hand over his mouth cut him off. 

"It's late. You need to get upstairs." 

Despite his efforts, Percival couldn't escape Siegfried's grasp, though he did manage to free his mouth. "I'm not done discussing this." 

"You are for tonight." The anger present before slipped, hints of worry finding their way through. 

Well aware that escape was futile, Percival allowed Siegfried to drag him upstairs where he was unceremoniously shoved towards the bed, the door behind him locked firmly shut from the outside.


	7. Chapter 7

How much longer was he willing to let this go on? How much longer was he going to wait for Siegfried to come to his senses? Siegfried's earlier words rang in his head and a sharp chill ran down his spine. _Death would be better. How_ long had that solution been in his mind? How long before it become the only one?

A light chirp pulled him from his thoughts and as his gaze came back into focus he could make out the little salamander, front legs up on the toe of his shoe. Bending down, Percival held out his hand, a smile tugging at his lips as the little thing climbed onto his hand. When he held it before his face, it chirped once more, firey eyes starring straight into his own. Was it just him or did the thing look anxious?

"I don't know how much longer we have before he hurts himself." Surely he wouldn't and yet... A man like Siegfried who put the entire world before himself, he couldn't be sure.

The salamander gave him a questioning look, head tilted just slightly. Then with a far louder chirp, it motioned towards the door. Go after him, it seemed to say.

Sighing, Percival moved over to the door, trying the handle, but with no success. He pushed harder, hoping the door would be weak, but despite the buildings obvious age it was solid. He knew several spells for opening locks, but as he ran through the list in his mind the Salamander hopped onto the lock, nosing around the keyhole with it's snout. "It's locked, silly." The replying chirp was almost indignant. This Salamander really did like him.

Once again it pressed it's nose to the keyhole and to Percival's surprise its head slipped inside, quickly followed by it's body. It shouldn't have been too surprising, given that it's body was completely made of flame. Percival waited for several minutes, tempted to ask if everything was okay, when the Salamander popped back out, wriggling eagerly. It climbed onto Percival's hand when offered and when Percival tried the door he found it opened. Peering at the lock he found the latch was missing, turning to the door frame he found the rest of it, roughly melted off. Percival allowed himself a laugh, moving back to the fireplace in order to return the little one.

The Salamander hopped from his hand, turning back to him. "Thank you." With that the little thing climbed back into the flames, hungrily munching on the remaining wood, like it's well deserved reward.

Percival began a search of the second floor, but as it had been for years, the rooms were empty. Next he made his way downstairs, starting in the kitchen, before finally finding the other Knight in the lounge. As in the library, Siegfried curled up in a window seat, gaze focused outside. It wasn't full dark yet and from what Percival could tell he hadn't begun to change yet. Stepping gently into the room, Percival made his way towards his friend.

A long sigh greeted him and Siegfried spoke without turning. "I thought I told you to stay upstairs."

Percival shrugged. "You know I'm not good at following orders." That was true enough. He only followed orders when he wanted to. 

"I should take you back."

"I'd come right back." It didn't matter where Siegfried went. He would follow. He had to. Taking a few steps forward, Percival tried to get a look at the other Knight's face. "Why won't you let me help you?"

"You can't help me."

Percival hummed. "You think I can't love you?" There was no reply, but the answer hung in the air regardless. "It's too late for that. I've loved you for a while now, as a friend perhaps, but thinking back on all the memories I have, I'm surprised I didn't fall for you sooner. Denial perhaps?"

"Just go upstairs."

"You'll have to make me." When Siegfried didn't move, Percival stepped closer, resting his hand on Siegfried's shoulder. "Let me look at you."

"You're too stubborn for your own good, you know that?" Annoyance and amusement.

Percival chuckled. "Look who's talking." He pulled gently on Siegfried's shoulder, until he could see his face.

Despite knowing what to expect the scales were still a bit surprising. His left cheek was almost completely covered in black scales, that shone with a rainbow of hues in the light. The scales climbed towards his temple, stopping a small, short horn at his forehead. Percival ran his fingers over the scales, feeling how each overlapped the next, before letting his hand wander to the horn. It was smooth beneath his fingers. Returning to his cheek, Percival followed the scales down his neck. They grew larger as they moved towards his chest.

Next Percival caught sight of Percival's eyes. The whites were now a solid black, the pupils more narrow and vibrant than before. Though the scales only covered half his face, both eyes had changed.

Unconciously, Percival's hands moved to cup Siegfried's cheeks, a thumb pushing gently at his upper lip. Siegfried's lips parted and his mouth opened slightly to reveal sharp canines, now much more like fangs. Percival ran a thumb over one tooth.

A low rumble came from deep in Siegfried's throat, as hands found Percival's waist. "You should go. Before it's too late."

The fact was Percival couldn't have left, even if he wanted to. His body was stuck there, hands almost wandering on their own as they pushed Siegfried's hair from his face. "You know I won't."

Several moments passed, of Percival slowly looking over Siegfried's face, a hand pushing through his hair, the other resting on his shoulder. As Percival watched, the scales slowly creeped up the Knight's cheek, sliding out from underneath the others.

Suddenly that low rumble grew louder and Siegfried leaned forward to press his face into Percival's neck. Knowing what was coming, Percival's immediate reaction was to pull away, but his body didn't move. Perhaps it was part of the spell.

Fangs pressed against his skin, followed by a sharp pain as they sank into his neck. That pain faded quickly, to a dull ache, and a warm pleasure rose in his chest. That was definitely part of the spell.

It could have been hours, though it was likely only minutes before Siegfried pulled back, pressing a kiss to the bite marks, letting his tongue slide over them.

As the pleasure faded, Percival found the heat rising in his cheeks and pushing it's way down his neck. He didn't give himself much time to think before leaning in to kiss Siegfried on the lips. He expected to taste blood, but only the slightest tang remained. Siegfried kissed him back, surprisingly eager though he pulled away too quickly.

"You need to lay down."

"I'm fine." Percival leaned in to kiss him again, but Siegfried moved out of the way, so he placed the kiss on his throat instead, letting his teeth briefly sink into the skin.

Siegfried chuckled, nudging Percival back. As he stepped back, Percival found he was a bit light headed and he quickly put his hands on Siegfried's shoulders. He held on tightly as Siegfried stood and pulled Percival to him, lifting the knight into his arms. "I can walk just fine."

Siegfried hummed, carrying him to the door and pressing a kiss to Percival's throat, just over where he'd previously bitten him.

Percival chuckled, letting his head rest against Siegfried's chest as they climbed the stairs. "As long as we go to my room."

"I doubt the elementals would appreciate my presence." His voice was hesitant, a deep longing beneath it.

"Would you rather they panic when I don't return and they think you ate me?"

Siegfried sighed, shaking his head, but carried Percival to his room, gently setting the knight on the bed. He moved to close the door but it wouldn't stay. When he turned to Percival, the only reply he got was a shrug before Percival tugged him by the wrist to the bed.

Siegfried pulled his hand away gently, earning him a rather pouty frown, but he laughed it off, slipping off his boots before kneeling to remove Percival's. Only when he'd neatly stacked them against the wall did Siegfried join him on the bed, letting Percival pull him closer and kiss him again.

After a moment Siegfried pulled back, his left hand coming to cup Percival's cheek. "How are they to know I won't eat you now?"

Percival chuckled, turning towards the fire. Glowing blue eyes peered back at him, but none moved. "I think they'll figure it out." 


	8. Chapter 8

Waking up to the warmth of another person was a long forgotten feeling for Siegfried, yet the comfort it brought was familiar. He peered down at Percival who slept on beside him, gaze going to the bite marks on his neck. They weren't exactly clean wounds, a bit jagged around the edges, but would heal well enough. The urge to bite that same spot stirred faintly at the back of his mind, but as he ran his tongue between his teeth he found the fangs had faded. 

Percival stirred beside him and Siegfried took the opportunity to press a kiss over the bite wounds, chuckling lightly at Percival's groggy protest. He waited patiently as the other Knight wiped the sleep from his eyes. 

Percival sat up after a moment, eyes carefully searching the other's face. The scales had faded and a hand tracing over neck and shoulder found no evidence. His eyes had changed too, now the warm brown he remembered. 

Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to Siegfried's lips, perhaps to check if the fangs were gone, perhaps not. Siegfried's hand went to his neck, thumb brushing over the bite marks. "I'm fine." 

Siegfried's frown proved he wasn't satisfied. "I'm sorry." 

Percival reached up a hand to take the one on his neck, lacing their fingers together. "You're welcome to leave as many bite marks as you like, as long as you keep them off my face." 

That earned him a silent chuckle. "I'll put a spell on it anyways. Perhaps once we're home I can get an elementals help." 

That was something they hadn't checked yet. Percival turned his gaze towards the fire, smiling as the all too familiar eyes peered back at him. The little salamander pulled off from the flames, scrambling up the bed post, and coming to sit beside Percival's hand. When Percival nudged it towards Siegfried the creature tilted its head left, then right before going over to nudge Siegfried's hand, wriggling impatiently when that hand didn't let him in. 

Siegfried turned his hand over, letting the firey thing climb onto it. The Salamander crawled around for a bit before settling and looking expectantly at Percival. 

"Seems they're willing to trust you again." 

After prying themselves from the warmth of the bed the pair dressed for the day and went about gathering their things. Percival moved about the room, going to each corner of the protection spell he'd cast to release the marks. 

Before he left the room he knelt before the fireplace, offering one last log. "Would you mind going by the town inn and letting them know to send a pair of horses?" The inn owner was an earth mage and several elementals made their home there, taking messages and guiding horses in exchange for food and shelter. 

With that Percival made his way downstairs, stopping back in the library one last time. He returned the few books he'd had to the shelves. 

A folded up note sat on the table where he had spent so much time before. Without opening it he knew the author. A smile tugged at Percival's lips as he opened the note to find a now familiar handwriting. 

*Thanks to you I can rest now. I hope you have a good life together.* 

Putting the note in his pocket Percival made his way to the entry way where Siegfried waited for him, a small pack tossed over one shoulder. 

Stepping out into the snow they found a pair of horses waiting for them, one the same mare that had brought him to the manor. After loading his packs, Percival mounted, immediately pressing warm hands to the horses ears, rubbing them gently. Behind him Siegfried did similarly, though he was certainly not as warm. 

The ride back passed in peaceful silence. There was a lot to think about. Percival's explaination for Aglovale was simple enough. He'd tell the story exactly as it had been, leaving out the softer details. No the real question was what they would do now. Would this go anywhere or would it fade as such things so often did? Which of those did he want? 

Back in town they got a room in the inn and after penning a letter of explanation to Aglovale, Percival decided he wanted a nice warm bath. The inn room they'd been given had the luxury of its own bath, likely in hopes of a larger tip and Percival wasn't about to complain. 

Settling into the warm bath was a welcome relief to his aching muscles, still sore from his night spent in that chair along with the fair ride in the cold. He could see Siegfried across the room in a large chair, book in hand. No doubt he'd brought it back from the manor. 

Percival tried to clear his mind of all thoughts, to just enjoy the air, but that one question kept drifting back in. What did he want? The question came with flashes of memories. Of their time training. Of Siegfried's fangs in his neck. Of that first kiss. All of this warmed him through. 

Finally, giving up on a clear head, Percival pulled himself from the tub, all too aware of the eyes on him as he dried and dressed. Siegfried didn't say anything as Percival got into bed, going to take a bath of his own, a slight smile on his lips as the red head watched him. 

Clean and dry, Siegfried slipped beneath the covers as well, leaving some distance between him. Percival sighed inwardly. It would have been easier if Siegfried had simply held him, but that would have been out of character, so he moved closer on his own. 

Siegfried's arms were soon around him, one hand slipping under the hem of his shirt to rest against his back, but before he pulled Percival too close he ducked down to press a kiss to Percival's lips. Perhaps he could still surprise him. 

Perhaps he could get used to this.


End file.
